Hamas Video Claims to Show Israeli IDF Chief in Its Line of Fire During 2014 Operation Protective Edge

The video is claimed to have been shot by Al-Qassam Brigade.

Jul 20, 2015 23:40 IST

The military wing of Hamas has released a new propaganda video showing Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief in the line of fire of a Palestinian shooter during the 2014 Operation Protective Edge.

Al-Qassam Brigades claimed that it has released the video to show off its surveillance capabilities and readiness for "any possible aggression," reported Jerusalem Post.

The over 40-seconds video shows Hamas members tracking the movement of then-IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. (res) Benny Gantz, who was visiting the Israeli troops during the 2014 conflict, according to Times of Israel.

Hamas has claimed that Gantz was within the shooting range of its snipers the entire time. It, however, did not offer any clarification as to why it did not take out Gantz, if the group had him within their shooting range.

The video shows a group of Israeli soldiers around a military vehicle near Gaza border. The clips show Hamas shooters zooming on Gantz through binoculars.

It is reported that the video was shot during the peak of the 50-day Israel-Gaza conflict near al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Hamas claimed that Colonel Ghassan Alian was also with Gantz.

The veracity of the video and the claims made by Hamas are yet to be established. But if proved true, IDF is bound to order an investigation into the matter, as to how a high-ranking officer was left exposed to enemy fire.

The new Hamas clip has come a day after the Palestinian group released a rather lengthy video showing Palestinian militants infiltrating into Israel through a tunnel into Eshkol region.

The squad of nine Hamas militants killed two IDF soldiers and injured another two. One Hamas militant also was killed in the attack.